Understanding Eating Behavior during the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: A Literature Review and Perspective on Future Research Directions

Abstract

Introduction: Eating behavior often becomes unhealthier during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, but not much is known about the factors that drive this change. We assess the available evidence on this topic through a literature review and pay special attention to the research designs employed in the studies available as well as the modifiability of the factors investigated in previous research.

Method: We systematically conducted a scoping review by searching literature published in or after 2000 in three databases that described one or more factors associated with eating behavior or changes in eating behavior during the transition from adolescence to adulthood in the general population. Our search identified eighteen articles meeting these inclusion criteria. The socio-ecological DONE (Determinants of Nutrition and Eating) framework, a recently developed dynamic framework of factors shaping dietary behavior, was used to structure and categorize the factors identified.

Results: Most factors identified in the literature were individual-level factors (67%) such as food beliefs, time constraints, and taste preferences; on the other hand, interpersonal-level factors (e.g., social support), environmental-level factors (e.g., product characteristics) and policy-level factors (e.g., market regulations) have been reported on less extensively. Furthermore, most factors discussed in the literature have been classified in the DONE framework as not easily modifiable. Moreover, previous studies largely used static research designs and focused primarily on one specific population (US freshmen).

Discussion: This systematic scoping review identified several gaps in the available literature that hinder insight into the drivers of eating behavior (change) during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. There is an urgent need for research on broader populations, employing dynamic repeated-measures designs, and taking modifiability of factors into account.

Keywords: behavior change; eating behavior; emerging adulthood; life transitions; literature review; weight change.

Figure 1

PRISMA flow diagram of the identification, screening and selection of articles for the review.

Figure 2

Example models of static and dynamic research designs. Note: T = time point; SD = standard deviation. This figure provides a visualization of static (panels A–C) and dynamic (panel D) research designs. Each design investigates a relation between a shaping factor and an outcome—for the current purposes, this would be an outcome related to eating behavior. The designs become progressively more complex: (Panel A) describes a cross-sectional design where a factor at time 1 is associated with an outcome at the same time point. (Panel B) describes a simple longitudinal design where a factor at time 1 predicts an outcome at a later time, time 2. (Panel C) describes an adjusted longitudinal design wherein a factor at time 1 still predicts an outcome at a later time, but now taking into account the baseline (time 1) level of that outcome. (Panel D) describes a dynamic research design including two measurement moments for both factor and outcome, such that it can be determined whether changes in the factor predict changes in the outcome. This figure is adapted from Renner et al., 2008 [41] and is reproduced with the first author’s permission.